Joel Embiid thought he would fall to second round of NBA Draft

Although it was simply a matter of a tape delay, there was no funnier moment during the 2014 NBA Draft than when Joel Embiid’s face was stone cold as his name was called out as the No. 3 pick. Looking beyond unhappy, Embiid’s facial emotion eventually turned from disgust to pure joy as he learned that he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers much sooner than he anticipated.

More from NBA

• NBA insider: Cavaliers should consider trading Donovan Mitchell
• NBA rumors: Hawks trade candidate, Sixers miss out, Lakers almost lose Reaves
• NBA insider explains real reason the Grizzlies were done with Dillon Brooks
• Knicks projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
• Rockets projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season

We’ve already heard the Boston Celtics would have selected Joel Embiid with the No. 6 pick had he fallen that far, but Embiid himself thought he free fall was just begining as he told KU Sports he assumed he would fall into the second round of the NBA Draft.

“I thought with the latest injury I was going to drop to maybe top 15, maybe second round,” added Embiid who was still recovering from his foot surgery. “People were talking everywhere, on social media. I bought into that.”

“I was also listening to my agent. He told me good things. I mean I thought I was going to drop to second round. I was kind of surprised they took me at 3,” Embiid stated.

While there were a handful of pundits who suggested that Embiid could fall out of the lottery, I don’t believe I saw any who suggested Embiid would fall into the second round, so that might be a bit dramatic on the big man’s part.

Still, his rumored ‘slide’ was minimal at best and it’s questionable that he would have lasted through the top five even if the Philadelphia 76ers had passed on him.